PARLIAMENT QUESTION: BHARATIYA ANTARIKSH STATION

1. At a Glance

Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) is India's planned indigenous modular space station in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), to be built by ISRO under the Department of Space, as part of Space Vision 2047 [S1][S2].
Configured as a 5-module station; first module (BAS-01) targeted for launch by 2028, full operationalisation by 2035 [S1][S2].
It will be India's first National Space Laboratory for multidisciplinary microgravity research (science, medicine, agriculture, space manufacturing) and the platform for sustained Indian human spaceflight [S2].
Relevance: technology self-reliance, space economy, geopolitical signalling alongside ISS retirement (~2030) and China's Tiangong.

Parliament Question (Lok Sabha), 11 Feb 2026: Department of Space restated BAS configuration, BAS-01 timeline, and ongoing subsystem development [S1].
September 2024: Union Cabinet approved BAS-01 development and launch as a revision in scope of the Gaganyaan Programme [S1][S2].

2018: Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme announced.
2019: ISRO first publicly indicated intent for an Indian space station as a follow-on to Gaganyaan.
17 Oct 2023: PM Narendra Modi directed ISRO to set up an Indian space station by 2035 and land an Indian on the Moon by 2040 — formal birth of Space Vision 2047 [S2].
Sept 2024: Cabinet approval for BAS-01 (₹1,763 crore, 2025–2028) under expanded Gaganyaan scope [S2].
2026: Configuration of 5 modules reviewed by National Level Review Committee; system engineering of BAS-01 underway [S1].

Parent body: ISRO, Department of Space, Government of India [S1].
Orbit: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) [S2].
Configuration: 5 modules; BAS-01 is the first [S1].
BAS-01 launch target: 2028; full station: 2035 [S1][S2].
BAS-01 cost: ₹1,763 crore (4-year window, 2025–2028) [S2].
Launch vehicle: To be supported by next-gen heavy lifter; Gaganyaan crew transport on HLVM3 (Human-rated LVM3).
Research domains: microgravity life sciences, medicine, agriculture, space manufacturing, technology demonstration [S1][S2].
Key tech element: advanced life support systems for long-duration human habitation in LEO [S1][S2].

Scientific/Technological
Drives indigenous capability in docking, rendezvous, environmental control & life support (ECLSS), in-orbit assembly, regenerative life support [S1].
Spurs research in novel pharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine, bio-based waste recycling [S2].
Economic
Anchors India's space economy (target ~$44 bn by 2033 per IN-SPACe); creates demand pull for private players post 2020 space-sector reforms [S2].
Geopolitical/Strategic
Positions India as the fourth nation with an independent crewed station (after USSR/Russia, USA, China), amid impending ISS deorbit (~2030).
Designed as a platform for global & national collaboration and a gateway to lunar exploration (links to Chandrayaan-4, Lunar Polar Exploration, planned 2040 crewed lunar landing) [S2].
Administrative/Governance
Executed via integration of ISRO Centres/Units; oversight by a National Level Review Committee [S1].
Scope revision shows preference for incremental capability building (Gaganyaan → BAS) over standalone mega-projects.

Sept 2024: Cabinet nod for BAS-01 under revised Gaganyaan scope [S2].
2025: Gaganyaan uncrewed test flights sequence (G1, G2) progressing; HLVM3 human-rating activities continuing.
11 Feb 2026: Parliament reply confirms 5-module configuration reviewed by National Level Review Committee; subsystem tech development underway at ISRO centres [S1].

BAS is part of Space Vision 2047 [S1].
BAS-01 approved by Union Cabinet in September 2024 [S1].
BAS will have 5 modules; full operationalisation by 2035 [S1][S2].
BAS-01 launch year: 2028 [S1].
BAS-01 sanctioned cost: ₹1,763 crore (2025–2028) [S2].
BAS will be located in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) [S2].
BAS approved as part of revision in scope of the Gaganyaan Programme, not a standalone scheme [S1].
Implementing body: ISRO under Department of Space (NOT MoEFCC, NOT MeitY) [S1].
BAS to be India's first National Space Laboratory for microgravity research [S2].
Vision announced by PM on 17 October 2023: space station by 2035, Indian on Moon by 2040 [S2].
Configuration reviewed by National Level Review Committee [S1].
Research fields named: life sciences, medicine, agriculture, space manufacturing [S1][S2].

GS-III — Science & Technology: Achievements of Indians in S&T; indigenization of technology and developing new technology; Space.
GS-II — International Relations: space diplomacy, collaborations.
Probable stems: 1. "Bharatiya Antariksh Station marks the transition of India's space programme from access-to-space to presence-in-space. Discuss." (15M) 2. "Examine the strategic and scientific rationale for an indigenous space station in the context of ISS retirement and the rise of Tiangong." (10M) 3. "Discuss how BAS complements the Gaganyaan programme and India's Space Vision 2047." (10M)

Gaganyaan Programme — parent programme; BAS-01 added as revised scope [S1].
Space Vision 2047 / Amrit Kaal space roadmap — overarching policy frame.
Indian Space Policy 2023 — governance and private-sector enablement.
IN-SPACe & NSIL — regulator and commercial arm boosting space economy.
Chandrayaan-4 & Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) — lunar leg of Vision 2047.
NGLV (Next Generation Launch Vehicle / Soorya) — heavy lifter needed for BAS modules.
International Space Station (ISS) & Tiangong — comparative reference points.
Axiom-4 / Shubhanshu Shukla mission — ISRO-NASA astronaut training pipeline feeding BAS.

Confusing BAS-01 (2028) with full station (2035) — two distinct milestones [S1][S2].
Treating BAS as a separate Cabinet scheme — it is a revision in scope of Gaganyaan [S1].
Wrong module count — it is 5, not 4 or 6 [S1].
Attributing BAS to MeitY or MoD — it is Department of Space/ISRO [S1].
Conflating BAS orbit with GTO/MEO — it is LEO [S2].
Mis-dating the PM directive — vision year is 2035, announced Oct 2023, not 2024 [S2].

[S1] PARLIAMENT QUESTION: BHARATIYA ANTARIKSH STATION, PIB, 11 Feb 2026 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2226233 — (tier: 1)
[S2] PARLIAMENT QUESTION: THE ADVANTAGES AND BENEFITS OF BHARATIYA ANTRIKSH STATION, PIB — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2244978 — (tier: 1)